Lap by Lap: Coca-Cola 600

Lap 400 -- CHECKERED FLAG: Casey Mears wins the Coca-Cola 600, his first Nextel Cup victory, then runs out of gas on the cool-down lap. He's followed to the line by J.J. Yeley, Kyle Petty, Reed Sorenson and Brian Vickers.

Lap 399 -- WHITE FLAG: Does Mears have 1.5 miles left in the tank?

Lap 398 -- Mears leads by 10 seconds over Yeley.

Lap 395 -- LEAD CHANGE: Hamlin has to come in and it's Casey Mears in front, with J.J. Yeley chasing.

Lap 394 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Jr. comes in and hands the lead to Hamlin.

Lap 393 -- LEAD CHANGE: Stewart comes in slowly. Junior takes the lead. Does anybody have enough fuel to go the distance?

Lap 392 -- Martin was fifth before he pits.

Lap 391 -- Johnson heads for pit road and almost gets pegged by teammate Mears. Fuel and he's gone.

Lap 390 -- Johnson gets past Mears for fourth, but he's still 4.5 behind the leader with 15 miles to go.

Lap 385 -- Jeremy Mayfield with lots of smoke heading for the pit road, but no caution.

Lap 382 -- Junior gets around Mears for second.

Lap 381 -- Kenseth ducks in for two tires and fuel.

Lap 380 -- Stewart's lead now 2.7 seconds over Mears, but everyone may need a splash and go if there's no caution.

Lap 370 -- Stewart leads Mears by 1.1 seconds and 2.9 over Junior in third.

Lap 367 -- Jimmie Johnson is clawing his way to the front, up to fourth after passing Kenseth. But he's still 5 seconds behind the leader.

Lap 350 -- Fifty to go and Stewart leads Mears, Kenseth, Junior and Martin.

Lap 342 -- GREEN FLAG: 90 miles to go ...

1. Tony Stewart
2. Casey Mears
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Mark Martin

Lap 339 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart inherits the lead as Johnson comes out 10th.

Lap 338 -- The leaders come on pit road, still too many laps to make it the rest of the way on one tank of fuel.

• Johnson has a hung lug nut and loses the lead.
• Hamlin puts on scuffs.
• Stewart takes on fresh rubber.

Lap 337 -- YELLOW FLAG No. 13: Brian Vickers slaps the wall and the resulting debris brings out the caution.

Lap 328 -- Casey Mears looking like his famous uncle here as he climbs into third behind Johnson and Stewart.

Lap 316 -- Kyle Petty taking full advantage of that free pass. He's up to ninth and battling Reed Sorenson.

Lap 314 -- Stewart makes his move and passes Kenseth for second. He's sixth-tenths behind Johnson now.

Lap 312 -- LEAD CHANGE: Johnson passes Kenseth.

Lap 311 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kenseth passes Johnson.

Lap 301 -- GREEN FLAG: It's deja vu, all over again.

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Tony Stewart
5. Denny Hamlin

Lap 298 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 12: Kurt Busch wrecks big-time down the backstretch and bends up the hood. He's going right to the garage.

Lap 297 -- GREEN FLAG: Full speed ahead.

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Tony Stewart
5. Denny Hamlin

Joe Gibbs having a nice night: All three of his drivers are in the top six.

Kyle Busch has returned to the track.

Lap 293 -- LEAD CHANGE: Johnson back at the point.

Lap 292 -- LEAD CHANGE: Ricky Rudd gets his five points, then peels off for the pits.

Lap 291 -- Back to pit road for the leaders. All take on four tires -- and may not need any more rubber this evening.

It appears that Kenny Wallace's car has blown an engine.

Carl Edwards gets the free pass.

Lap 290 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 11: Jeremy Mayfield spins in front of the crowd.

Lap 283 -- LEAD CHANGE: Johnson does the "blue bayou" move on Kenseth at the start-finish line.

Lap 281 -- Brian Vickers and Ricky Rudd trade some serious paint out of Turn 4. No caution.

Lap 276 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kenseth wants by and Johnson obligizes.

Lap 272 -- GREEN FLAG: Back to full song under the lights.

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Tony Stewart
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. J.J. Yeley

Kyle Petty back on the lead lap with the free pass. That's 14 total.

Lap 269 -- LEAD CHANGE: Johnson back in front.

Lap 268 -- Don't be fuelish here as the lead-lap cars make pit stops.

• Kenseth, Stewart, Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin and Johnson stop for fuel only.
• Martin gets a pair of right-side rubber.
• Kurt Busch gets new shoes all the way around.

Lap 267 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 10: Kasey Kahne loses it and smacks the outside wall coming out of Turn 2.

Lap 265 -- Stewart is on the charge again, up to second and closing on Kenseth. The lead is 2.2 seconds.

Lap 257 -- LEAD CHANGE: Both Kenseth and Vickers blow past Mayfield on the restart.

Lap 256 -- GREEN FLAG: Hey, Jeremy!

1. Jeremy Mayfield
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Brian Vickers
4. Tony Stewart
5. Jimmie Johnson

Lap 254 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeremy Mayfield is now in front.

Kyle Busch heads for the garage with a broken brake rotor.

Reed Sorenson gets back on the lead lap.

Lap 253 -- Lead lap cars come in for service:

• Jeremy Mayfield moves up seven spots and wins the race off pit road.
• Brian Vickers gains six spots with a gas-and-go.
• Jimmie Johnson makes spring rubber changes on both the left and right rear.
• Tony Stewart asks for an air-pressure adjustment.
• Matt Kenseth gets four tires, as does Denny Hamlin.

Lap 252 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 9: Kyle Busch finally cuts down the right front tire and into the wall he goes.

Lap 245 -- LEAD CHANGE: Johnson decides he'd like the lead, so he rolls right past Kenseth on the backstretch.

Lap 232 -- A shout out to birthday boy Jeremy Mayfield, currently seventh.

Lap 228 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kenseth passes Johnson as Kyle Busch slaps the wall hard on the right side. No caution.

Lap 227 -- GREEN FLAG: The standings get a major shuffle.

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Tony Stewart
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Kurt Busch

Vickers will restart 12th and Kyle Busch 13th, still in the lead lap.

Lap 223 -- Pit road is open:

• Tony Stewart gets four fresh ones and a chassis adjustment.
• Denny Hamlin asks for a major air pressure adjustment.
• Brian Vickers has the hood up, getting more fluid.
• Kyle Busch stops for a replacement battery.

Lap 222 -- A couple of the leaders reporting problems. Vickers is fighting power steering issues. Kyle Busch is losing battery power.

Lap 220 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 8: Carl Edwards loses a tire while running third and collects David Ragan, who gets run into by Bill Elliott. Casey Mears somehow threads the needle and misses hitting anyone.

Bobby Labonte gets the free pass.

Lap 206 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers roars past Jimmie Johnson.

Lap 200 -- Show 'em the crossed flags because we're at the halfway mark. Jimmie Johnson leads Brian Vickers by almost a second. Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch complete your top five.

Lap 190 -- GREEN FLAG: The Lowe's car back in front at Lowe's.

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Brian Vickers
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Carl Edwards
5. Kyle Busch

Lap 187 -- A busy pit road:

• Tony Stewart gets right-side rubber.
• Matt Kenseth gas only and gains two spots.
• Jimmie Johnson goes for fuel.
• Mark Martin asks for a chassis adjustment.
• Denny Hamlin gains four spots on pit road.

Lap 186 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 7: Kurt Busch nudges the wall with his right rear and away it goes, spinning down the backstretch. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will get the free pass.

Lap 185 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dead heat between Jimmie Johnson and Brian Vickers.

Lap 182 -- Stewart on the march as he passes Kyle Busch for fourth.

Lap 181 -- LEAD CHANGE: Vickers returns the favor.

Lap 178 -- David Stremme, hoping to get his lap back, instead heads for pit road with a possible loose wheel.

Newman is in the garage and apparently done for the night.

Lap 175 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kurt Busch goes low to catch and pass Vickers.

Lap 173 -- GREEN FLAG: Brian Vickers brings 'em down.

1. Brian Vickers
2. Kurt Busch
3. Mark Martin
4. Kyle Busch
5. Jimmie Johnson

Newman smoking badly during the caution.

Lap 171 -- All the leaders come in for service.

• Vickers gets two tires and narrowly avoids nailing his jackman.

Lap 170 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 6: Debris. Pole-sitter Ryan Newman gets the free pass.

Lap 166 -- Mark Martin, who nearly had to make a green-flag stop before the last caution, is now seventh and trying to chase down Jimmie Johnson.

Lap 160 -- David Ragan back in the top five.

Lap 154 -- Junior on pit road to get all four tires changed. He'll lose at least a lap.

Lap 152 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. slowing with a possible flat tire.

Lap 146 -- GREEN FLAG: Sun starting to set at Lowe's.

1. Brian Vickers
2. Kyle Busch
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. J.J. Yeley
5. Tony Stewart

Only 14 cars on the lead lap.

Lap 141 -- Leaders stop for service.

• Kurt Busch gets fresh rubber.
• Brian Vickers asks for left-side tires and an air pressure adjustment.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. goes for gas only.
• J.J. Yeley picks up eight spots.
• Casey Mears gets ticketed for speeding coming off pit road. He'll start at the back of the pack.

Lap 140 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Debris. That wipes out Vickers' 6-second lead over Kurt Busch.

Lap 136 -- LEAD CHANGE: And we complete green-flag stops, as Elliott pits and it's Brian Vickers back in front.

Lap 135 -- LEAD CHANGE: And just like that, Edwards heads for pit road and Bill Elliott leads the race. He's never won the Coca-Cola 600 in 28 tries.

Lap 134 -- LEAD CHANGE: Yeley in for left-side rubber, handing the lead to Carl Edwards.

Lap 133 -- LEAD CHANGE: Stewart in for right-side tires, Yeley leads.

Lap 132 -- LEAD CHANGE: Johnson makes a pit stop and Tony Stewart is the new leader. Johnson's car is getting tight. Track-bar adjustment and four tires.

Lap 131 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kyle Busch heads for pit road and Jimmie Johnson inherits the lead. Four-tire stop for Busch.

Lap 130 -- Kyle Busch leads Jimmie Johnson by more than 10 seconds. Tony Stewart, J.J. Yeley and Casey Mears complete the top five.

Lap 128 -- Third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. in for four fresh tires. No adjustments.

Lap 126 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers gives up the lead to Kyle Busch as he ducks onto pit road for service -- and hits the brakes hard. Two right side tires, fuel and away he goes.

Lap 114 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers to the point as Kurt Busch stops for service. No adjustments.

Lap 112 -- Green-flag stop for Kenseth. Wedge in the left rear, four-tire change.

Lap 111 -- Johnson passes Yeley for seventh.

Lap 102 -- Mark Martin makes an unscheduled stop with a flat tire.

Lap 100 -- We're 25 percent of the way home. Kurt Busch leads Matt Kenseth by 4 seconds, followed by Brian Vickers, David Ragan (who started at the tail end of the field) and Kyle Busch.

Lap 96 -- Tony Stewart back to 11th after getting caught up in the Johnson crash. Johnson's 13th.

Lap 93 -- Ryan Newman's car is "extremely tight" and he's dropping like a stone. He's eighth.

Lap 83 -- GREEN FLAG: Ready to go again.

1. Kurt Busch
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Ricky Rudd
4. David Ragan
5. Brian Vickers

Dale Jarrett's engine may have let go on the restart.

Lap 79 -- Leaders are on pit road:

• Busch and Kenseth stay out.
• Junior stops for two tires.
• Hamlin gets adjustments and fuel.
• Newman stops for a track bar adjustment and a new shifter ball.

Lap 78 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Jeff Burton hard into the wall. On the radio: "Something broke."

Lap 73 -- Robby Gordon in the middle of the track, getting passed on both sides. Perhaps a tire going down?

Lap 70 -- GREEN FLAG: Kurt Busch brings 'em around again.

1. Kurt Busch
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Kyle Busch

Lap 67 -- Gordon interviewed on television: "I'm OK. It looked worse than it was."

Lap 66 -- Some of the mid-pack cars come in for service. Eleven cars in the garage area from the two accidents.

Lap 64 -- Jeff Burton's in for service after driving through the middle of that wreck, with just minor contact.

Lap 63 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 3 : Jeff Gordon slams hard into the wall after contact with Tony Raines, sliding through the grass and getting drilled by A.J. Allmendinger. Many others spin to miss the melee. Gordon's car is little more than a pile of parts as it goes off on the wrecker.

Lap 62 -- GREEN FLAG: Busch will be the leader. Tony Raines gets the free pass.

1. Kurt Busch
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jeff Gordon

Lap 58 -- Johnson's back in 18th, Stewart is 25th.

Lap 54 -- Johnson in the pits for repairs, same with Stewart. Clint Bowyer, Sterling Marlin, Elliott Sadler, Jeff Green, David Gilliland, Johnny Sauter, Juan Montoya all off the track after being involved.

Lap 53 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: Multi-car accident in the front stretch, perhaps caused by a tire tread that came off Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 following contact with A.J. Allmendinger. Elliott Sadler, Tony Stewart, Dave Blaney, Kevin Harvick some of those involved.

Joe Nemechek has gone to the garage area with brake problems.

Lap 52 -- GREEN FLAG: Kurt Busch continues to lead.

1. Kurt Busch
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jimmie Johnson

Lap 47 -- The leaders come to pit road for the first time:

• Kurt Busch with a 10.4-second stop (no tires, just fuel)

Bobby Labonte gets the free pass. Reed Sorenson gets a speeding penalty and is sent to the back of the pack.

Lap 46 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1 -- Greg Biffle hits the wall. Heavy damage to the right side of the No. 16 Ford.

Lap 43 -- Hamlin gets around Junior for second, 1.2 seconds behind the leader.

Lap 40 -- The top five at this point: Ku. Busch, Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Kenseth. Could green-flag pit stops be far away?

Lap 32 -- Denny Hamlin's gaining ground. He's up to third.

Lap 24 -- Junior passes Newman for second, 1.591 seconds behind the leader.

Lap 20 -- Kurt Busch, Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth and J.J. Yeley are your top five.

Lap 11 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kurt Busch passes Ryan Newman.

Lap 8 -- Jimmie Johnson has gone from 21st to 15th.

5:52 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch bring the field to the green flag and we're under way.

5:50 p.m. -- Clint Bowyer, David Ragan and Kevin Harvick go to the back.

5:41 p.m. -- In the immortal words of Sir Richard Petty, "Crank 'em up, boys!"

5:34 p.m. -- Leann Rimes with tonight's national anthem.

5:31 p.m. -- Dr. Thierfelder delivers the invocation.

5:19 p.m. -- Today's honorary starter is Arizona Sen. John McCain. Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen will give the command to start engines.

5:12 p.m. -- By the way, the race record for 600 miles is just a tick under four hours, so expect to be here awhile. At least the weather appears to be cooperative, partly cloudy and 87 degrees, dropping to 70 by 11 p.m.

5 p.m. -- FOX's pre-race coverage is on the air.

4 p.m. -- Welcome to Lowe's Motor Speedway and tonight's running of the Coca-Cola 600.

CHARLOTTE HEADLINES

• Exhibit takes fan through stock-car history to COT
• Johnson trying to regain edge at Charlotte track
• Rudd looking racy heading into Sunday's 600-miler
• Roush upset with NASCAR approach to COT testing
• Petty surprises fans with ride-along offer at Lowe's
• CART passing on Gordon the greatest error in racing
• Drivers taking notice of Martin's part-time success